William a



' (NoMod L) V W. A. CUS'HMAN.

Metallic Gar,

Patented Jan. 18, I881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. OUSHMAN, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO LA MOTHEMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

M ETALLIC CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,786, dated January18, 1881.

Application filed September 24, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. GUsHMAN, of Providence, in the State ofRhode Island, have invented an Improvement in Metallic Cars, of whichthe followingis a specification.

The floors of freight and passenger cars and the platforms of open carshave been made of iron tubes running lengthwise, with transverse tubesthat are bound together by metallic bands. In cars of this kindtransverse beams have been introduced, the same being of wood incasedwith metal, the longitudinal tubes passing through such transom-beams,and such beams being between the ranges of transverse tubes.

My present invention is for lessening the expense of construction, andfor rendering the platform lighter and at the same time maintaining thedurability of the structure.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a railway-carplatform. Fig. 2 is a partial plan of the same,-and Fig. 3 is a partialcross-section at the line as w.

The longitudinal tubes at a and the tie-bands b, passing aroundthe same,are similar to those shown in Letters Patent N 0. 185,446, except thatonly top and bottom tubes are used. By placing the longitudinal tubestogether in pairs 1 am able to obtain great strength and ligh tness, andto introduce as many pairs of longitudinal tubes as are required forobtaining the necessary strength.

The length of the transverse beams e corresponds, or nearly so, to thewidth of the car, and each beam is of a width to fill the openingbetween the top and bottom tubes, and it is firmly clamped into place asthe parts are driven together.

In some instances the transverse beam or timber 0 will be placed betweenthe tubes a, and then the bands around the tubes will be driven up ateach side of the beam to clamp the beam firmly between the tubes andbands. In this form the timbers may be notched on their edges topartially receive the tubes, as shown in' the detached view, Fig. 4, orwhen the cross-beam is narrower than the distance between thelongitudinal tubes, there may be metal shoes introduced, as at 3, Fig.5, upon the edges of the timbers, so as to intervene between the tubesand the beam. The beams 0 will usually each be made of a single piece ofmaterial; but I do not limit myself in this particular, as the same maybe composed of two or three wooden strips driven together and bolted.

In laying the floor-plank the same rests directly upon the longitudinalmetal tubes, and I find that the most convenient manner of securin g theplanks is to drive through the same long slender wrought-iron spikes,such spikes passing at one side of the tube, as shown in Fig. 5. Then Ibend thespike partially around the tube and apply a semicircular groovedanvil below the tube, so as to receive the spike into the groove, and Ifinish driving the spike. During this operation the spike will be bentso as to firmly grasp the tube, and the point will re-enter the plank ifthe spike is long enough. If shorter spikes are used, the points may bereceived into the groove of the semicircular anvil and bent up therebyduring the act of driving such spike.

If desired, the transverse beams may be faced with metal plates upon thevertical sides, as at c, in which case the top and bottom edges of theseplates will be cut with segmental notches where the tubes cross thebeams.

- I am aware that in Letters Patent N 0. 170,480 there is a transversebeam of wood with tubes of iron passing through the same. In myimprovement thereon the transverse beam is simply notched at the edgesfor the sides of the tubes to lie in such notches; hence the parts canbe put together very rapidly, because the tubes do not have to be passedendwise through holes in the transverse beam.

I claim as my invention In the platform of a car, the longitudinal metaltubes, placed together in pairs, in combination with transverse beams ofwood having notches at the edges and placed between the metal tubes, andmetal bands around the tubes to clamp said tubes directly upon suchbeams, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 17th day of July, A. D. 1880.

WM. A. OUSHMAN.

Witnesses:

ALLEN BAKER, Jr., HENRY B. WHITMAN.

